Graphene Aerogels in Energy Storage Applications

Graphene aerogels represent an emerging class of three-dimensional carbon architectures characterised by ultralow density, high surface area and exceptional electrical conductivity. In energy storage, these porous networks serve as electrode scaffolds in supercapacitors, lithium-ion and sodium-ion batteries, and metal–air systems. The open, hierarchical pore structure—spanning micro- to macropores—facilitates rapid ion transport and electrolyte infiltration, while the inherent mechanical resilience accommodates volumetric changes during cycling. Advances in pore engineering, surface functionalisation and composite formation have enabled significant improvements in specific capacity, power density and cycle life. For instance, heteroatom doping and incorporation of transition-metal oxides or conductive polymers address limitations in energy density and rate performance. Scalable fabrication techniques, including freeze-casting, template-directed assembly and additive manufacturing, are closing the gap between laboratory studies and industrial production of flexible, lightweight storage devices. Globally, the development of graphene aerogel electrodes promises reduced reliance on scarce metal resources, lower carbon footprint and enhanced performance for applications ranging from portable electronics to electric vehicles and grid-scale storage.

Research from Nature Portfolio

No recent Nature Portfolio content available.

Graphene Aerogels in Energy Storage Applications publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in graphene aerogels in energy storage applications across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Aerogel: An ultralight, highly porous solid network typically obtained by freeze-drying or supercritical drying of a gel.

Graphene oxide: Oxidised derivative of graphene rich in oxygen functional groups, used as a precursor for aerogel synthesis.

Hydrothermal self-assembly: A synthesis method using elevated temperature and pressure in aqueous media to reduce graphene oxide and assemble it into three-dimensional structures.

Flash Joule heating: Rapid thermal treatment applying high electrical current to induce ultrafast graphitisation within porous materials.

Specific capacity: Electric charge stored per unit mass of electrode material, usually expressed in milliampere-hours per gram.

Meso-pores: Pores within a material having diameters in the range of 2–50 nanometres, critical for electrolyte ion storage and transport.

References

1. Highly Aligned Graphene Aerogels for Multifunctional Composites. Nano-Micro Letters (2024).
2. Electrothermal Transformations within Graphene-Based Aerogels through High-Temperature Flash Joule Heating. Journal of the American Chemical Society (2023).
3. Graphene aerogels: a review. 2D Materials (2017).
4. 3D hierarchical porous graphene aerogel with tunable meso-pores on graphene nanosheets for high-performance energy storage. Scientific Reports (2015).